Archive for the ‘Override Gov. Doyle's veto of binding referendum on RTA/TRAINS!’ Category

July 5, 2009

CAVEMAN* News!

Override the Veto of a binding RTA refendum! (See other posts here also please)

Last week, the Gov. vetoed both the binding referendum and the money for roads in the Dane RTA legislation. Even Sen. Jon Erpenback (D) –Waunakee said, “Without the referendum in this I wouldn’t have supported the RTA being included in the state budget” (OK Senator, spearhead an override of his veto!)

Is there anything you can do now? YUP! Leave a comment on this blog! and…..

1) On our website are the Emails of County, state, Federal congressional members, the Federal Transit Authority- the money bags. One well written email to all of them from 200 people will get plenty of attention. Ask for an override in the Legislature of the vetoed binding referendum by your Assembly and Senators. (If you don’t know yours, the site will take you to them via your name, address, Zip from the official Wisconsin site.)

2) Or call, write or see your representatives. Get involved.

3) Send thegreattrainrobbery.org a check. The other side- our elected, appointed and paid officials and Transport 2020 staff and supporters – have spent $9 million of your tax dollars over the last ten years on selling you trains instead of addressing the real problem of traffic congestion.

We are private individuals, unpaid, donate our time who self fund the web site and have had a few generous donors who donated some money to keep the web site going. (We’re talking “David vs. Government Goliath” here!)

4) We are looking for volunteers for 2 hour stints at the SAT morning Farmer’s Market on the Square to hand out literature, take names, phones and email addresses for the long fight ahead to educate and motivate people to pay attention to this top down billion dollar boondoggle that actually will make traffic congestion much worse if we are forced to pay for a train for a couple dozen of the Madison elites to ride once in awhile.

As you know, the legislature passed bills encouraging RTA’s (Regional Transit Authority) in several areas of the state. The one for Dane county included a binding referendum that those in the Madison area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) would be able to vote for or against- likely in sometime in 2010. For info on MPO area that will be taxed for trains see:

FEB 23, 2009 WSJ: “Transit issue could go to voters in 2010″ Matthew DeFour. The map is not in the link.( Source for the map showing RTA boundary was from Madison Area Metroplitan Planning Organization) Be sure to read Dane County Towns Association President, Jerry Derr’s and Stoughton Mayor, Jim Griiffen’s comments in the article also. Here’s two guys with a back bone!

The Governor’s Budget (don’t ask why it was in the budget) included an appointed, not elected RTA board that had this allotment that frankly would insure the “trainiacs” only would be selected to the RTA: Gov. 1, Dane Cty Exec 2, Madison Mayor 2, one each from Middleton, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie and one from the towns association.

The folks who are already on board for trains would then have 7 of the 9 votes, with only Sun Prairie and the Towns Assoc. having a shot at opposition. (Even those two slots would fall in the “fat chance” category since these are all appointed – likely by the county board who’s majority are on record for trains would appoint only those smitten with trains and trolley syndrome.)

At the last part of March before the April 1 County Exec election cycle, Kathleen Falk also asked the Governor for money for roads, so the legislature provided 25% for roads of the extra sales tax collected for the RTA/ trains. Many considered this just a sop to try to convince future referendum voters that roads would be upgraded to secure their votes.

(Look at past performance on county roads, (rated “F” for congestion, performance) stalling N. Mendota Parkway, Highway 12 to Prairie du Sac and the utter disdain for cars, roads and parking by the county Exec., county board and Mayor (Trolleyman) Dave.

The Gov. vetoed both the binding referendum and the money for roads in the Dane RTA legislation. County Exec Falk, Mayor Dave have publicly stated there will be a referendum-which they will tightly control and no doubt, write.

* Dane Cty.Supervisor Stoebig at the Aug. 16, 2007 vote approving the resolution for ½ cent sales tax, an RTA for commuter rail for Madison called those in opposition not unlike Cavemen- Citizens Against Virtually Everything. So we adopted his slur against his own constituents.